Minutes of the meeting on 21 April 2017
For further information, please contact:
Helen Finlayson, Clerk to the Expert Panel
0300 200 6565, s
Attendees:
Panel:
Professor Laura McAllister (Chair)
Rob Clements
Professor David Farrell
Dr Alan Renwick
Sir Paul Silk
Professor Rosie Campbell
Officials:
Adrian Crompton (Director of Assembly Business)
Helen Finlayson (Clerk to the Expert Panel)
Sian Giddins (Deputy Clerk to the Expert Panel)
Matthew Richards (Head of Legal Services)
Non Gwilym (Head of Communications – for item 7)
Others:
Greg Power, Global Partners Governance (for item 3)
Lord Norton of Louth (for item 3)
Steve Halsall, Boundary Commission for Wales and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (for item 5)
Matt Redmond, Boundary Commission for Wales and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (for item 5)
01.Introductions and minutes of the last meeting
01.01.The Chair welcomed Professor Rosie Campbell to her first Panel meeting.
01.02.The Panel agreed the minutes of the last meeting. The Panel agreed to publish the minuteson its webpage.
02.Chair’s update
02.01.The Chair updated the Panel on her discussions with the Political Reference Group.
02.02.The Panel discussed potential implications for its work in light of the UKgeneral election to be held on 8 June 2017.
03.Capacity/size of the Assembly: discussion with experts
03.01.The Chair welcomed Greg Power from Global Partners Governance and Lord Norton of Louth.
03.02.The Panel explored issues relating to the capacity and size of the Assembly and the role and impact of parliamentary scrutiny with Greg Power and Lord Norton.
04. Capacity/size of the Assembly: Panel discussion
04.01.The Panel reviewed the evidence received to date relating to the size and capacity of the Assembly, and the role and impact of parliamentary scrutiny.
05.Technical briefing from the Boundary Commissions
05.01.The Chair welcomedSteve Halsall and Matt Redmond, both from the Boundary Commission for Wales and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales.
05.02. The Panel received a technical briefing on the work of the Boundary Commissions.
06.Electoral systems
06.01.The Panel discussed issues relating to electoral areas and the principles which would underpin its consideration of electoral systems.
07.Media and communications
07.01.Non Gwilym provided an overview of the Panel’s media and communications activity to date.
08.Forward work programme
08.01.The Panel agreed its forward work programme and meeting dates up to October 2017.
08.02.The Panel agreed to publish the written submissions received to date.
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